Apparatus for catalytic conversion of exhaust gas

ABSTRACT

A casing having a gas inlet opening and a gas outlet opening formed in the walls thereof and at least one container for catalytic material having perforated walls and disposed in the casing between the inlet and outlet openings, each of said openings is connected to an exhaust gas system by means of a pair of opposing flanges which are disposed each on one side of the edge portion of said wall defining the opening in question, a sealing material is provided between the flanges and also extends outwardly between one of the flanges and the edge portion, and tightening means is provided for pressing the flanges against the intermediate sealing material.

United States Patent Henriksson et a1.

APPARATUS FOR CATALYTIC CONVERSION OF EXHAUST GAS inventors: Sune Torsten Henriksson, Kvartsvagen 9; Ragnar Ludvig Muotka, Kyrkogatan 44, both of Kiruna; Lars E. Landeborg, Per Albin Hanssons vag 52 B, Malmo, all of Sweden Filed: May 1, 1969 Appl. No.: 821,014

US. Cl. ..23/288 F, 23/2 E, 248/68 R, 248/70, 248/74, 285/189, 285/205, 285/363,

Int. Cl. ..B01j 9/04, F16r 27/08 Field of Search ..23/288.3 F, 288, 2.2, 290; 248/68, 70, 74; 24/19, 79; 285/200, 205, 206, 368, 363, 189; 287/129, 132; 60/2930; 181/72, 71, 64

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Winn ..285/205 X Mar. 14, 1972 1,995,840 3/1935 Compo ..285/189 2,025,271 12/1935 2,160,808 6/1939 3,434,806 3/1969 De Rycke et al. ..23/288 Primary Examiner.lames 1-1. Tayman, Jr. Attorney-Whittemore, Hulbert & Belknap ABSTRACT A casing having a gas inlet opening and a gas outlet opening formed in the walls thereof and at least one container for catalytic material having perforated walls and disposed in the cas ing between the inlet and outlet openings, each of said openings is connected to an exhaust gas system by means of a pair of opposing flanges which are disposed each on one side of the edge portion of said wall defining the opening in question, a sealing material is provided between the flanges and also extends outwardly between one of the flanges and the edge portion, and tightening means is provided for pressing the flanges against the intermediate sealing material.

7 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMAR 14 I972 3.649.214

mm 1 BF 2 INVENTORS SUNE TORSTEN HENRIKSSON RAGNAR LUDVIG MUOTKA BY LARS E. LANDEBORG ATTORNEYS PAIENTEDMAR 14 1972 3,649,214

sum 2 [1F 2 INVENTORS SUNE TORSTEN HENRIKSSON RAGNAR LUDVIG MUOTKA BY LARS E. LANDEBORG ATTORNEYS APPARATUS FOR CATALYTIC CONVERSION OF EXHAUST GAS The present invention relates to an apparatus for catalytic conversion of exhaust gas from internal combustion engines.

In this kind of exhaust gas purification the exhaust gas is led through one or more beds or containers holding a catalytic material which will at least partly convert the harmful components, especially the unburned hydrocarbons, of the exhaust gas to compounds of less toxic nature.

A known apparatus for catalytic exhaust gas conversion consists of a casing in the walls of which inlet and outlet openings are provided, and of at least one container holding a catalytic material and disposed in the casing between the inlet and outlet openings thereof, the apparatus being provided with means for connecting the ducts of an exhaust gas system to the inlet and outlet openings in a rotatable but lockable manner, each of the connecting means comprising a pair of flanges, one of which is securable to a duct portion of the exhaust gas system.

However, there are frequently leakage problems as well as problems connected with the mounting of the apparatus since the space available in a vehicle is generally highly restricted and since the construction of the known apparatus requires that the apparatus and its connecting means be oriented in a certain direction in order that the ducts of the exhaust gas system may be connected to the inlet and outlet openings and so that catalytic material may be filled into the apparatus without difficulty.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an apparatus for catalytic conversion of exhaust gas, which is tight and compact and which offers great possibilities of adjusting the mounting of the apparatus to the space available.

This and other objects are accomplished with an apparatus in which the flanges are disposed at their edge portions each on one side of a portion of the casing walls defining the inlet and outlet openings, respectively, and are adapted to be pressed against a sealing ring located partly between the flanges and partly between one of the flanges and said edge portion.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the casing consists of a cylindrical wall and of end walls which are provided with filling and discharge pipes for the container or containers, the axes of the pipes forming an angle of between 10 and 80 to the axis of the cylindrical wall. As a result of this, the apparatus is mountable either horizontally or vertically without making the filling of catalytic material into the apparatus difficult.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the apparatus according to the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. I shows an axial section through an embodiment of an exhaust gas conversion apparatus according to the invention.

FIG. 2 shows an end view of the exhaust gas conversion apparatus.

The exhaust gas conversion apparatus has an outer casing which consists of a cylindrical wall 1 and end walls 2 and 3. The end walls 2 and 3 are provided with an inlet opening and an outlet opening, respectively. Inside the casing there are provided two annular catalyst containers. The containers are formed by four cylindrical walls 5, 6, 7 and 8, which are concentric in relation to the cylindrical wall and are provided with openings 4, as well as by end walls disposed at the margins thereof. Thus, an inner catalyst container is formed by the two inner walls 5 and 6, by a central circular end wall 9, which is united with the margins of the walls 5 and 6 adjacent the inlet opening and which closes the end of the cylindrical space formed inside the inner wall 5 and located adjacent the inlet opening, and by an annular end wall which is united with the margins of the walls 5 and 6 located adjacent the outlet opening and projecting slightly past the wall 6. An outer catalyst container is formed by the two outer cylindrical walls 7 and 8, by an annular end wall 11 which is united with the margins of the walls 7 and 8 located adjacent the inlet opening and extending to and being united with the cylindrical wall I, and by a likewise annular end wall 12 which is united with the margins of the walls 7 and 8 located adjacent the outlet opening and extending inwardly slightly past the wall 7 in order to become united with the end wall 10 and close the annular slot located between the containers.

From the inlet opening the exhaust gas to be converted flows into the annular slot between the containers which is defined by the walls 6 and 7 and the end walls 10 and 12 united by the annular slot and located adjacent the outlet opening. The exhaust gas then flows through the openings 4 in the walls 6 and 7 into the catalyst containers in order to be converted and purified thereby means of the catalytic material. The converted exhaust gas is discharged through the openings 4 in the walls 5 and 8 of the respective containers to the cylindrical space enclosed respectively by the wall 5 and the annular slot between the wall 8 and the cylindrical wall 1, whence the exhaust gas is discharged to the outlet opening in the end wall 3 of the casing.

Pipe sockets l3 and 14 extend through the end wall 3 of the casing inwardly to the respective end walls 10 and 12 of the catalyst containers in order to permit filling and discharging of the catalytic material. In the embodiment shown, the angles between the axis of the pipe sockets and the axis of the cylindrical wall 1 are about 45 and about 20, respectively, for which reason the exhaust gas converting apparatus may be mounted without inconvenience either horizontally or vertically as well as in intermediate angular positions. The pipe sockets 13 and 14 are closed by means of screwplugs l5 and 16, respectively.

The end wall 2 of the casing is provided with a connecting nipple 17 for pressure indicating means and a connecting opening 18 for temperature indicating means.

Fixing brackets 19 are disposed at the ends of the cylindrical wall 1 and are provided with apertures 20 for screws and bolts. The fixing brackets are welded to strips 21 extending around the periphery of the cylindrical wall and provided at the ends with tensioning means 22 by means of which the strips may be tensioned for securing the fixing brackets 19. The position of the fixing brackets 19 on the periphery of the cylindrical wall 1 may consequently be determined according to wish.

In the inlet and outlet openings the end walls 2 and 3 of the casing are provided with connecting means for the ducts of the exhaust gas system.

The connecting means both have the same construction and therefore only the connecting means at the inlet opening will be described in greater detail. The main components of the connecting means consist of two annular flanges 23 and 24 having a slightly larger outer diameter than the diameter of the inlet opening, and are disposed each on one side of the edge portion of the end wall 2 of the casing which defines the opening. The outer flange 23 is adapted to carry a duct section (not shown) of the exhaust gas system, and this section preferably consists of a tube bend welded onto the flange 23. An annular gasket 25 is provided between the flanges 23 and 24 and also extends outwardly between the outer flange 23 and the edge portion of the end wall 2, so that both the surfaces of the flanges which are located opposite each other and the surfaces of the outer flange 23 which are located opposite each other as well as the edge portion defining the opening will be sealed. The flanges 23 and 24 are held together by means of bolts 26 which, when not tensioned, permit the whole connecting means to be rotated as a unit so that a duct section of the exhaust system secured to the outer flange 23 may be adjusted in the most suitable manner. When the bolts 26 are tightened after the connecting means has been adjusted to the most suitable position, the flanges 23 and 24 are pressed against the intermediate gasket 25 and against the edge portion of the end wall, in which connection the position of the connecting means is fixed and the connecting means and the exhaust system are sealed in relation to the casing of the exhaust gas converting apparatus,

Due to the angular position of the pipe sockets 13 and 14 in relation to the axis of the cylindrical wall 1 and due to the adjustability of the fixing brackets 19 and the connecting means, it is possible to adapt the mounting of the exhaust gas converting apparatus within wide limits in relation to the space available for the said apparatus.

Various changes and modifications of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. it should be understood that such changes and modifications are contemplated and that we do not intend to be limited except by the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. Apparatus for catalytic conversion of exhaust gas comprising a cylindrical casing having an end plate secured over each end thereof, said end plate including opposed centrally located inlet and outlet openings therein through which exhaust gas may be passed into the cylindrical casing at one end thereof and out of the cylindrical casing at the other end thereof, a container for catalytic material secured within the casing including concentric cylindrical sleeves having openings through the sides thereof, a pipe extending through at least one end plate in communication with the container for loading and unloading the container flange means secured over the inlet and outlet openings in the casing end plates for securing exhaust ducts thereto with the casing in any angular position with regard to the axis of generation thereof and at least on strap extending around the casing including tensioning means for securing the casing thereto in any selected angular position thereof and bracket means secured to the strap for mounting the casing.

2. Structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein the container is two radially spaced apart annular cylindrical members including four concentric cylindrical sleeves having openings in the sides thereof, an end plate connected over the adjacent ends of the two smaller diameter concentric sleeves adjacent the exhaust gas inlet openings and an annular end plate secured between adjacent ends of the two radially outer concentric sleeves at the end thereof adjacent the inlet opening, and annular plate means extending between the adjacent ends of the inner and outer cylindrical sleeves at the end thereof adjacent the exhaust duct outlet opening.

3. Structure as set forth in claim 2, wherein the means for securing the exhaust inlet duct and the exhaust outlet duct to the casing at each of the inlet and outlet openings comprises a pair of flanges having a diameter larger than the inlet and outlet openings, an annular sealing member positioned between the pair of flanges also having an outer diameter larger than the diameter of the inlet and outlet openings, and means for compressing the periphery of the inlet and outlet openings and the sealing member between the pair of flanges at the inlet and outlet openingsv 4. An apparatus for catalytic conversion of exhaust gas comprising a cylindrical casing including an end plate at each end thereof through which gas inlet and outlet openings are formed, at least one container for catalytic material disposed in the casing between said inlet and outlet openings which is also cylindrical and is formed by at least one pair of concentric cylindrical members, axially aligned with the casing and having openings therethrough exposing catalytic material therein to exhaust gas passed through the casing, in conjunction with plates secured over the ends thereof, means for mounting the casing in any rotated position thereof about an axis therethrough and means for connecting the casing at the gas inlet and outlet openings to exhaust gas inlet and outlet ducts in any rotated position thereof about the axis.

5. Structure as set forth in claim 4, wherein the means for mounting the casing in any rotated position thereof comprises at least one belt extending circumferentially about the casing, a bracket secured to the belt at one position thereon and tensioning means secured to the ends of the belt for tightening the belt around the casing whereby on loosening the belt the casing may be rotated within the belt and on tightening the belt the casing is secured in an adjusted position within the belt.

6. Structure as set forth in claim 4, wherein the means for connecting the casing to exhaust gas inlet and outlet ducts in any rotated position thereof comprises a pair of annular flanges positioned on opposite sides of each of the exhaust gas inlet and outlet openings and having a diameter larger than the diameter of the openings, annular sealing means positioned between the flange pairs also having a diameter larger than the openings, means for compressing the periphery of the openings and the sealing means between the corresponding pair of flanges whereby on releasing the periphery of the opening in the casing the flanges and seal may be rotated into substantially any angular position with respect to the openings.

7. Structure as set forth in claim 4, and further including at least one pipe extending through the casing and communicating with the container for catalytic material for placing the catalytic material in the container and removing used catalytic material therefrom, which pipe extends at an angle to the axis through the casing whereby catalytic material may be placed in the container quickly and easily with the container installed in substantially any angular position thereof about the axis, and means for closing the pipe. 

2. Structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein the container is two radially spaced apart annular cylindrical members including four concentric cylindrical sleeves having openings in the sides thereof, an end plate connected over the adjacent ends of the two smaller diameter concentric sleeves adjacent the exhaust gas inlet openings and an annular end plate secured between adjacent ends of thE two radially outer concentric sleeves at the end thereof adjacent the inlet opening, and annular plate means extending between the adjacent ends of the inner and outer cylindrical sleeves at the end thereof adjacent the exhaust duct outlet opening.
 3. Structure as set forth in claim 2, wherein the means for securing the exhaust inlet duct and the exhaust outlet duct to the casing at each of the inlet and outlet openings comprises a pair of flanges having a diameter larger than the inlet and outlet openings, an annular sealing member positioned between the pair of flanges also having an outer diameter larger than the diameter of the inlet and outlet openings, and means for compressing the periphery of the inlet and outlet openings and the sealing member between the pair of flanges at the inlet and outlet openings.
 4. An apparatus for catalytic conversion of exhaust gas comprising a cylindrical casing including an end plate at each end thereof through which gas inlet and outlet openings are formed, at least one container for catalytic material disposed in the casing between said inlet and outlet openings which is also cylindrical and is formed by at least one pair of concentric cylindrical members, axially aligned with the casing and having openings therethrough exposing catalytic material therein to exhaust gas passed through the casing, in conjunction with plates secured over the ends thereof, means for mounting the casing in any rotated position thereof about an axis therethrough and means for connecting the casing at the gas inlet and outlet openings to exhaust gas inlet and outlet ducts in any rotated position thereof about the axis.
 5. Structure as set forth in claim 4, wherein the means for mounting the casing in any rotated position thereof comprises at least one belt extending circumferentially about the casing, a bracket secured to the belt at one position thereon and tensioning means secured to the ends of the belt for tightening the belt around the casing whereby on loosening the belt the casing may be rotated within the belt and on tightening the belt the casing is secured in an adjusted position within the belt.
 6. Structure as set forth in claim 4, wherein the means for connecting the casing to exhaust gas inlet and outlet ducts in any rotated position thereof comprises a pair of annular flanges positioned on opposite sides of each of the exhaust gas inlet and outlet openings and having a diameter larger than the diameter of the openings, annular sealing means positioned between the flange pairs also having a diameter larger than the openings, means for compressing the periphery of the openings and the sealing means between the corresponding pair of flanges whereby on releasing the periphery of the opening in the casing the flanges and seal may be rotated into substantially any angular position with respect to the openings.
 7. Structure as set forth in claim 4, and further including at least one pipe extending through the casing and communicating with the container for catalytic material for placing the catalytic material in the container and removing used catalytic material therefrom, which pipe extends at an angle to the axis through the casing whereby catalytic material may be placed in the container quickly and easily with the container installed in substantially any angular position thereof about the axis, and means for closing the pipe. 